Fallen Ashes
by Vincent von Dreyfus
Summary: Prequel to the "Dark Mind" series. On the grimest, wettest day of August, the most influential event in Link's life sends his entire world into a nightmare whose end knows only one name: Ganondorf. Hurry, Link. The Deku Tree is calling.
1. The Encounter

**A Note from the Author: **Well, I'm in the UK at the moment. That wouldn't be a bad thing, except all of my drafts for Cold Heart are at home in the US, and I won't be going back until mid-August. So, to compensate, I'm making use of the forest atmosphere of England to inspire a story I've been wanting to write ever since finishing Fallen Matriarch and ending the final chapter in the _Dark Mind_ series. This is the Prequel to the _Dark Mind_ series, taking a look at how it all began. It shouldn't be very long, more or less the size of Phantom Destiny, but all the same I hope you enjoy the prequel to _Dark Mind_, Fallen Ashes.

All unoriginal plot elements (c) Nintendo

* * *

**Part I ~ The Encounter**

I still remember it was a grim, cloudy August day. Ivy sprung from every crevice and corner, overgrown by the summer rain season. The smallest and slowest of birds had already left to spend the winter in southern Holodrum, and everywhere the remaining animals grumbled at the prospect of having to stockpile food over the course of the next month. Skull Kids were preparing for their autumn rituals, Deku leaves tinged with a faint orange, and my fellow Kokiri continued to count down the days before the rain and wind would finally let up and they could return to their games. That is exactly how I remember that day—the day the Deku Tree died.

My name is Link. By now I've traveled far from Hyrule—I've been in Labyrinna since early March—but my adventures started no farther than a few acres from my doorstep. Even though I'm a Hylian by birth, my parents were killed by Gerudo witches and I was raised instead by the Kokiri of the Lost Woods. To me, Kokiri heritage is my heritage, and though I now show signs of aging—twice, today, my voice has cracked—I'll always remember myself as a Kokiri through and through. It is within those misty trees that I belong.

But my real past was jaded and unknown to me on that dreadful day. I saw myself as an outcast, a misfit Kokiri, one constantly subjected to bullying by Mido and his gang. I had a few friends (and I emphasize the word "few"), but the majority (a very small number) were often busy, so most of my time was spent with one friend in particular. She didn't know it at the time—at least, I don't think she did—but I was madly in love with her. I never told her back then, though, because if Mido ever found out I'd be deader than a Stalfos. It took me seven years before I was brave enough to proclaim my love—but that's another story.

This is the story of the one single event that most profoundly changed my life. After that day, I'd never be the same person, I'd never live the same life, and I'd be propelled into a nightmarish seven years of constant battle. This is the story of how I killed the a god.

The night before it happened, I was consumed by profound nightmares. An olive man in black dogged a woman and girl in silky lavender. The former rode a demonic horse of black—the latter a ghostly stallion of white. Thunder boomed above our heads, rain pouring at my ankles as I watched the two women be chased out of a castle town, through the gate, and out into a giant ocean of grass. The man stopped at the drawbridge and looked down at me, laughing wickedly as if I amused him. Then he rose a hand up, and a great burst of fire launched from it and hurtled straight towards my eyes...

"AH!" I screamed, thrusting myself off my mattress and wildly flailing at my hair, dousing phantom fires. Soon I realized it was just a dream, and slumped my shoulders in exhaustion. As I sat up on my bed, quietly rolling the blankets back on top of me, I glanced a lethargic eye out the window. It was daytime, but just barely. True to August in the Lost Woods, a permanent overcast of black clouds hung ominously over the forest canopy. The rising sun, not yet fully over the treetops, was just a dim glow through the vapor. I shivered in the cold air and tried to fall back asleep.

I lay there for perhaps an hour, tossing and turning, trying as hard as I could to fall asleep. It was no use; the air was too cold, my blanket too thin, the early birds too loud. "This is just one of those days," I mumbled groggily, not bothering to raise my head from my pillow. Just as the words left my mouth, though, I finally succeeded, and lost conscious as a bird landed on my window and started chirping.

No sooner had I returned to slumberland than a loud, high cry woke me up. "Hey, wake up!" demanded a very high voice. I jumped off my mattress, mistaking the order for one of Mido's. When I saw it the self-proclaimed Kokiri chief was nowhere to be found, I felt my temper kick in.

"What's the big deal?" I growled, looking with weary eyes left and right for the culprit. "Who woke me up?"

"Look up," piped the voice.

A bit confused, I warily did as I was told, half expecting one of the Know-It-All brothers to dump a bucket of rainwater on my head (they've done it before). To my surprise, all that existed above me was a pale blue sphere of light, circling delicately around my head. Even though I had yet to reach the point in the day when my brain could function, I instantly recognized the creature. It was one that I was very familiar with.

"A fairy?" I concluded. "So there _is_ somebody else in here!"

The fairy fluttered down to sit on my bed. She was no bigger than my pre-pubescent hand. She was too far away to see her through her own light, but my awakening eyes could make out the insectoid wings projecting out of her back.

"No, I'm the only one," the fairy corrected in a very matter-of-fact way.

"But... You must have your Kokiri somewhere in here!" I was finding the situation very difficult to comprehend. But that's because the obvious didn't strike me; and perhaps never would have, if the little girl hadn't explained me the reason for her visit.

"I do, and he's standing right in front of me," the fairy chirped.

"I don't know what you're talking about...I think." Now _very_ curious, I took one of my wooden chairs, pulled it up beside my bed, and sat backwards on it facing her. "I don't have a fairy. I've never had a fairy."

"Well," my guest smiled, "everybody has to start somewhere. My name's Navi, Link. From today until the end of time, you and I shall be bound together for life. As of today, I'm now your own personal fairy partner."

My jaw dropped. I was the runt of the Kokiri, the one everybody bullied, because I was the only Kokiri in existence who didn't have a fairy. At birth, most Kokiri are introduced to a young fairy who remains with them until the day they die. Fairies act as a sort of adult conscience for the eternally youthful Kokiri, and the partnership is one of their race's defining characteristics. I had been an outcast for so long—ten years—that the thought of having a fairy partner seemed, even then, impossible.

"There must be some mistake," I even found myself mumbling, quieter than a leaf touching the ground.

Navi shook her head. "Not at all. The Great Deku Tree sent me just now. And he has a message for you."

"A message?" I remarked. Far from neighborly, our guardian deity the Great Deku Tree normally had little to say to his forest children unless they were in need of a judiciary. The fact that I had a message from the God of Earth was shocking—as were the details that would follow.

"He requests that you give him your presence in the Meadow as soon as possible."

"We can go now," I nodded, shaking as I rose from my chair to get my tunic, hat, and boots. My mind was reeling. First I was given a fairy, and now the Great Deku Tree himself wanted to speak with me? Perhaps, I thought, this day might not be as bad as I originally thought.

As I threw my pajama pants over Navi's head and onto my bed and started putting my tunic pants on, it struck me that nobody had ever seen me naked before. "Um..." I stammered, instantly embarrassed and awkward. "S-Sorry, I... Am I supposed to, uh..."

Navi squeaked a cute little giggle. "Don't be embarrassed, Link," she reassured. "Kokiri undress in front of their fairies all the time."

Face red as a rose, I hurriedly pulled my pants up and started slipping my tunic over them. The awkwardness of the moment didn't retreat just yet. I suddenly realized that I was being a very inhospitable host. "D-Do you want something to eat?" I offered sheepishly, opening the cupboard. "I have fruit, karak (a traditional Kokiri pastry), some Deku Nuts..." Amazing that one never realizes how empty their food cabinet is until they have guests over.

"A karak would be nice, thank you," Navi chimed, fluttering gracefully on top of my head and taking one of my hand-made breads from the cupboard. Karaks were made with wheat, honey, apples, and a sprinkling of ground Deku Nut. They were really quite delicious—I fancied one myself, and munched on one while I put my boots on.

Navi was very careful while eating not to get any crumbs in my hair. "You and I must do a lot of catching up, Link," she said through a mouthful of karak goodness. "If we're to spend the rest of our lives together, it would help if I knew what you like."

"Like?" I repeated.

"Like... Food! What's your favorite food?"

I thought for a moment. I didn't really have a favorite. "Well, I've always had a liking for fish," I offered. "But I like almost any kind of food." I held onto my karak with my teeth as I reached for my hat. "Imsrynvi, buh-ou eedougehoffIead."

"What?"

I bent forward and placed my karak on my small, wooden table, freeing my mouth. "I said, 'I'm sorry, Navi, but you need to get off my head.' I have to put my hat on," I explained.

"Oh!" she squeaked. "I'm sorry!" I could hardly notice it when she was out of my blonde mess of hair, she was so light. I made the best attempt I could at securing my conical green hat on my head, but my morning hairdo made even that difficult.

"Remind me after the Deku Tree to comb my hair," I grumbled.

"Actually, it is probably best to do that now. He seemed a little upset."

"Oh," I replied with a noticeable drop in posture. "In that case, might as well look my best." I removed my hat and spent a minute combing my hair until it was decently tidy. "How's that?"

Navi perched on my shoulder and looked in the mirror. I jumped slightly when she landed. I was still getting used to having a fairy. "Hmm... I think that'll do," she concluded.

"Alright!" I exclaimed, replacing my hat. "In that case, to the Deku Tree!"

"To the Deku Tree!" Navi cheered.

With great resolution, elated to finally have a fairy of my own, I marched out of my house like I owned the whole forest. My great joy was immediately dampened, literally, when I discovered that I had been too preoccupied to notice earlier that it was raining hard outside. Clothes soaked and karak ruined, I somberly trudged back inside.

* * *

**A Note from the Author:** Incidentally, because the names "Fallen Ashes" and "Fallen Matriarch" are so similar, I briefly considered renaming this "Skeleton Wood." However, nothing really fit as well as "Fallen Ashes," so the name stayed. I hope you enjoyed the read, and if you'd like more of Link's adventure in Hyrule, please don't hesitate to read my _Dark Mind_ series (Phantom Destiny, Dragon Duet, Arctic Succession, Rising Puppetmaster, and Fallen Matriarch). There are two more parts of this story coming, though, so please stick around!

And as always, reviews are heavily encouraged, appreciated, and helpful. I read and respond to every one I receive. Thanks again for reading!


	2. The Obstruction

**A Note from the Author:** Sorry for the wait. Shortly after Part 1 I went straight ahead with Part 2, but when I finished it I found that I was going in a direction that didn't match up at all with both _Dark Mind_ and _Shadow Apocalypse_. So I was stuck with how to mend the inconsistencies for a long while, and today I gave up and threw out a big chunk of the ending and revised it to fit a different conclusion. Also touched up parts of the beginning. I actually was going to do some revisions and edits to my Pokemon fic, Hide-and-Seek, but decided I shouldn't leave you all hanging for decades like I've been doing lately in the _Shadow Apocalypse _series.

Anyway, please read, enjoy, and review! All reviews are appreciated, read, and responded to with the highest degree of respect.

* * *

**Part II ~ The Obstruction**

"...and then Fado showed up, laughing and playing her violin with them, and all together she and the Skull Kids danced off into the forest. The Know-It-All Brothers and I weren't quite sure how she did it, but I'll never forget that as the only time I've ever seen Skull Kids obey a Kokiri. And the whole village was safe after that." I cut off a small piece of our last karak between my fingers and ate it sparingly. We were both very hungry, and each took turns having a tiny part of the cup-sized breakfast. As Navi and I waited the rain out, we passed the time by getting to know each other better, sharing stories and learning what we were to expect in sharing our lives together.

Navi's eyes, or at least what I imagined as maybe being eyes, widened. "Wow, I guess even fairies don't know everything," commented my new friend with a touch of awe. "I've found the Skull Kid who hangs out with my sister's friend to be completely uncontrollable. But you're suggesting that they respect a person with a violin?"

"Saria's sure they'd take any instrument, really. Mido keeps trying to talk her out of confronting one with her ocarina." I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. "Probably the one time I agree with him. If you ask me, all Skull Kids are untrustworthy individuals who take any chance they have to cause mischief."

"Never judge an entire people by some individuals," Navi scolded. It was in their nature for fairies to be direct when correcting, so I didn't mind. Actually, it felt almost like a blessing that for the first time in my life, I was the one being corrected. Navi seemed a little embarrassed for the lecture, though, because she quickly added, "But, in this case, I actually somewhat agree with you."

At that point, the last pitter-patter of rain slammed into my log veranda, and the outside world fell silent. "Well," I huffed with great anticipation, "time to go see what the Deku Tree wants." Two hours ago I'd been excited to see him, but time had put a great weight at the back of my mind. Navi sounded pessimistic about the affair, and her anxiety only reinforced mine. The Great Deku Tree may have given life to all the Kokiri, but he was short tempered, stubborn, and had a great inability to give the slightest bit of kindness to anybody but Saria, Mido, and the occasional Deku Ambassador. The only time he would ever be in a good mood, according to the Know-It-All Brothers (for the last time was long before I was born), was when somebody prayed at the Earth Temple. However, no Earth Temple to my knowledge truly existed, and even if it did I doubted even a Skull Kid had visited it on such a dreadful day. With this in mind, and because I hadn't done anything particularly outstanding of late, this conference in all probability would be a scolding session. Quite a mouthful, but everything having to do with the Great Deku Tree is more or less complex.

"Shame on you for not doing your chores, you repugnant little nobody!" I pictured him saying, for nobody else detested my flesh more. "Mido points out you haven't painted his house in a millennium. Think about all that he's provided for you! And you won't paint his residence, while he's out hunting? The nerve! Know your place, you little outsider!" Sometimes, I felt he and Mido had secret meetings where they discussed all the many things they hated about me. In any case, I'd only heard the Deku Tree say something nice to me once. "Well, Link, I must say! That torn wadding of cloth you cover yourself with becomes of you with all that feculence you've tossed on it. I think you should dress like that henceforth."

On second thought, that wasn't the nicest thing for him to say in the world. Worse, he was serious, and it wasn't until Saria convinced him to take it back that Mido stopped tormenting me about my tunic.

My house, unique to the entire village of Kokiri Forest, was built around the canopy of a tall oak tree, rather than out of a giant sequoia's base. This required me to use a wooden ladder to get from my veranda to the soggy moss below, and in such wet weather this was often a perilous venture. I had to cling to some of the higher rungs of the ladder with my arms wrapped around them, or risk slipping to a bad headache. Navi waited patiently above my head as I inched further and further downwards, and made a chirp of satisfaction when I finally touched the damp ground.

"Here you are," announced a familiar voice behind me, with a sigh of relief. "If I had known you'd take so long, I wouldn't have brought this extra umbrella for you."

I turned around and found myself almost nose-to-nose with a young girl no less than an inch shorter than me. The distinct aroma of fresh pine needles instantly filled my nostrils, and I nearly lost myself in savoring the refreshing smell. The soft squishing sound made by the moss under our feet told me she was satisfied enough by my reaction to give me some personal space. When I opened my eyes, I observed the stem of a beautiful flower, an emerald flower in full bloom.

"Saria," I remarked dreamily, every muscle in my body soothingly relaxed, "what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your new acquaintance," my best friend answered with a sweet smile, gently leaning on one of the two viridian umbrellas she carried.

I felt a light tap as Navi landed on my shoulder. "I didn't think anybody saw me," she mumbled to herself.

I stared at Saria with great surprise and curiosity, once again confounded by the endless river of wisdom that seemed to flow from her brain and out her mouth like a waterfall. "You know? Already?" I gawked.

Saria hiccuped a small giggle, and brushed a lock of grass green hair from her eyes. She had a feverish obsession with the color green, and perhaps it was no better characterized than by her curious head of neck-length green hair, as opposed to the usual orange-blonde Kokiri usually sported, and the sparkling emerald eyes always searching for something new to discover. Her evergreen presence was interrupted only by the soft paleness of her skin and the glowing red fairy, Tuto, hovering above her.

"Really, now, Link, didn't you know? The whole town knows about her by now. Silly boy." I felt myself blushing. She clearly noticed it, and giggled even more. It was a beautiful sound, the sound of happiness on a clear spring day. I wished it would go on forever, and cursed myself for not being brave enough to tell Saria the one thing I'd always wished to tell her. "Well?" she added with a giant smile, stifling her joy with a hand. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

I blinked. Introduce who? "Oh my gosh, I totally forgot!" I yelled. Navi gave me an incredulous look. Saria and Tuto exchanged glances and erupted into roaring laughter. When I realized it was absolutely and positively the worst thing to blurt out, I shrunk back and searched nervously for some way to right my wrongs. "E-Excuse me, Navi, I... I'm so sorry," I stammered, far louder than I should have.

"Navi? Who's that?" called Fado from next-door. "Oh Link, is that your fairy!"

"Did somebody say fairy? I must see it!" exclaimed another Kokiri farther off.

"Somebody go tell Mido! The duckling's brought his playmate out!" said another.

I shirked back towards my ladder, head reeling, trying to find some way out of the horrible mess this was becoming. The last thing I wanted was Mido's gang to show up. Not to mention the whole town.

Saria, bless her heart, seemed to realize this. Her laughter dropped, and with furrowed eyebrows and a stern expression she hurried towards me and wrapped her hands around my arms. "Come on," she whispered into my ear, "let's get you out of here." With great speed she opened both umbrellas and used them to shield us from the growing crowd as she ushered Navi and I up the hill and into her house. When we were both in, she slammed the door shut, locked it, and proceeded to shut the windows.

"Well, that was exciting," Saria gasped with a grin as she pulled the last curtains down. She eyed my shimmering companion. "Did you say her name was Navi?"

"Oh, uh, yes!" I blurted. My own volume scared me. Forcing myself to calm down, I sheepishly pointed from Navi to Saria. "Saria, this is Navi. Navi, this is Saria and her fairy Tuto."

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," Navi bowed.

"And your's, my dear," Saria curtsied. With a bit of flair, my best friend offered me an oak chair to sit on. I nodded graciously and collapsed into her furniture like a popped balloon. I wasn't a fan for attention, and being stuck in the spotlight took the wind right out of me. I began to think I'd have a moment to relax, but the sound I heard next was perhaps the first hint of the many years that were to follow. There are some people one can never exist with, somebody who will always hate you no matter how hard you try to be liked. In the safety of Saria's house, I thought I had escaped the chaos outside, but as always there was somebody there to ruin it.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your little gnat?" demanded a sniveling voice behind us. Saria and I spun around in surprise. Lingering menacingly at the top of the staircase was a small man, roughly the size of a full-grown Deku elder. His face was freckled with the same dull orange that covered his hair, an orange that combined with his pine green hat and tunic to become the brown of mud. With dark eyes he scanned us, great triumph and arrogance beaming on his face. His pointy nose was upturned, and his lips curved into a tight, upside-down smile.

"Mido!" Saria gasped, though her voice quivered with more disgust than shock. "By Farore's Book, who let you in here?" She inched towards me possessively (or at least, that's how I fancied it). "It certainly wasn't me."

"Sheesh, baby, don't I have the right as leader of the Kokiri to check up on whichever house I please?" Mido countered, descending the stairs obsequiously casual. The way his sleeves were rolled up, revealing the bulkiest muscles in all of Kokiri Forest, I could tell he wasn't here for a friendly visit. "Besides, I'm thinking of moving here once we get hitched. What do you think?"

"Certainly not!" Saria snapped, stamping the floor firmly. "Now get out! I'd like some privacy."

"Not so fast, baby." He was now no more than three feet away from us, close enough for us to see the form of his vomit-colored fairy above him. The air seemed to get a lot thinner. "I didn't come for you. I came to see lizard breath over there. Heard he made himself a new playmate. Just wanted to congratulate him, if you'd so kindly step out of my way."

"Mido, don't you lay a finger on him," Saria warned, eying his flexing muscles. She backed up toward me, holding her arms out defensively to keep the creep away.

"I'll do what I want, baby," our guest growled. "Now step aside." Before Saria could move, Mido quickly pushed her out of the way. She stumbled across the room before hitting her arm hard on the wall.

"Mido, how dare you!" she screamed, collapsing to the floor.

I jumped to my feet, but not fast enough to avoid Mido. He seized me by my collar and held it tight, pulling me closer to his putrid face. "Not so fast, bunny boy. I've got something to tell ya." I tried to struggle out of his grip, but he easily flipped me around and wrapped his arm around my neck. I felt his knee slam into my back, and I was pinned between him and the table.

"Link, wait here! I'll get help!" Navi cried, but I saw in the corner of my eye then that Mido's fairy pounced on her and held her down.

"Nobody's going anywhere," Mido sneered. "So, Link, you have yourself a fairy. I suppose that makes you think you're one of us now." He slammed his knee into my back again. "Well, you're wrong. I make the rules here. You know why?" I was kneed again, and then my head was promptly smashed into the hard wood of the table. "You don't belong here, kid," Mido roared, full of drunken amusement. "You never belonged here. We don't want you here anymore. If it weren't for the Deku Tree, I'd have thrown you out by now! Now here's a way for you to remember that."

He smashed my head on the table over and over again, Saria screaming in the background for him to stop, until at last he ceased fire. "See you later, shrimp." With those final words, Mido flung me beside Saria, blew her a kiss good-bye, and moved towards the door.

"Wait Mido," I growled, struggling to my feet. "You're wrong."

Mido spun around. "What did you just say?"

"You aren't the boss of me. You're just a big bully." I couldn't believe I was standing up to him. Maybe he was right, and the fairy was making me feel a little braver. Or maybe it was because he had hurt Saria. "The Deku Tree's my god, not you! I've been summoned to his court, and when he hears what you've done—"

"You want to go see the Great Deku Tree, punk? You want to bring me down?" Mido spat at the floor. "Meet me at Boku Ravine in three hours. And bring a sword! I'll show you what happens to babies like you."

"Or what?" I demanded, quite beside myself.

"What, you think you can go cry to the Great Deku Tree? I'm not letting you through that ravine unless you can beat me in a swordfight."

"But Mido, I've never held a sword in my life!"

"Isn't that a shame?" Mido snorted triumphantly. "Well, I suppose you could always not show up. But we all know what happens to people who don't answer the Deku Tree's call. Or maybe I'll just find you myself!" He kicked over a chair by the doorway, flung the portal open, and slammed it on his way out, leaving us in total silence.

"He can't just do that!" Navi cried when things had calmed down. None of us had moved for an entire hour. Saria and I huddled together, sharing what may have been our last moments as best friends, while Tuto helped Navi onto her feet by the dresser. "Who does he think he is? If the Deku Tree heard about this—"

"The Deku Tree wouldn't do anything," I spat. "He never does. I don't even know why I bothered to suggest it." I stared at the floor. "This is your first time, Navi. Mido's been doing this to me for years. He always finds some excuse for the Deku Tree to side with him on." It was hard to hold back tears. This time I was really in trouble. Mido was the best swordsman out of all the Kokiri combined, and I had difficultly even lifting a blade up. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Mido aimed to put an end to my miserable life for good.

"That's... That's just..." Navi found herself at a loss for words. She fell to the floor herself, and I could hear quiet sniffles in the dark quiescence.

"I wish he'd leave you alone, that idiot," Saria scowled, nursing her arm. "Sometimes I wish we could leave this forest. Then we could escape him forever." I nodded thoughtfully.

The wooden clock on Saria's wall ticked softly as we sat. The leaves rustled outside, yet another storm making its way through the valley. Its passing was slow, and the sound of rain droned endlessly onward as the time passed.

I looked around at Saria's house. It was covered with paintings she made in her spare time. I remember when I was younger, she told me for the first time about the Forest Temple. "My ancestors had their paintings shown there," she had explained one winter day. "I've always dreamed of having mine displayed there too."

"Have you ever been inside?" I had inquired.

"No," she answered, shaking her head slowly, green hair rustling like leaves in the wind. "But I think I will, someday."

"I hope you are able to. I'd love to come with."

"Really?" she remarked with surprise, eyebrows raising. "But aren't you afraid of ghosts?"

"Well, yes," I nodded. "But if you're brave enough to go inside, I'll be brave enough to follow." She thought my statement very funny, laughing almost immediately. I guess she never noticed how serious I was. I never spoke of it again. But sitting in her house now, somberly observing (perhaps for the last time) her paintings of what she pictured the places and people outside the Lost Woods as looking like, I couldn't help but feel that same bravery.

"...we could always try," I said at last, almost in a mumble. My voice startled Saria at first, jostling her from her own thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"I said we could always try," I repeated. "Maybe the Deku Tree's wrong. He couldn't possibly be 100% accurate about everything."

"But... But this is serious, Link," Saria objected. "Link, we'll _die_ if we leave this place."

"But how does he know?" I asserted. "The Deku Tree's been in the same place for thousands of years, as have all the other Deku Trees since the birth of Nayru."

"He's a god, don't you remember?" Saria was becoming sorely defensive. I could only take that to mean she was uncomfortable being told that her primary source of wisdom wasn't entirely accurate.

"He's the God of the _Earth_, Saria. He knows what exists out there, on the land of his forefather's creation. But he doesn't know what _happens_."

"Link, he has his sources—"

"His sources are _trees_, Saria. They can tell him about what people do, what places look like—but can they tell him how it feels to walk? How it feels to play? How it feels to step outside a forest?"

"Well..."

I put my hand on Saria's. "Saria, I've wrestled with Wolfos before, and I've outrun Gohmas. _We've_ outrun Gohmas. There couldn't possibly be something worse outside the Lost Woods. And if I brought a sword..."

"Link," Saria interrupted heavily, pointing at the clock. "Your skills with a sword are little to none. And it is about time you start practicing, because you have little under an hour and a half to learn."

"But where would I get a sword? Certainly not from Baggs; Mido's probably already been to his shop and told him he can't sell me any."

Saria pondered on this for a moment. I could see the gears in her brain were moving faster than ever before. "Well, there's always the one in the Lost Woods..."

"Come again?" I blinked. "What one?"

The future Sage of the Forest inhaled heavily. "There's a sword somewhere in the Tarm Ruins."

"Saria," I countered rather frustratedly, "the Tarm Ruins are ten miles away. I only have an hour and a half."

"Hardly," Navi corrected.

"Hmm..." Saria thought for a few more minutes. "Well, it's a long shot... But there's another sword near Goron's Gate. Nobody's been able to get it out of the ground, though. It's embedded in some sort of altar."

I jumped up immediately. "Show me!" I demanded. "Quickly!"

* * *

**A Note from the Author:** In case you were wondering what the old ending was, Mido told Link he had two hours to leave the Kokiri Forest for good, or he'd kill the poor hero. The sad mood from the original ending still kind of lingers in the new one, doesn't it? In the original one, Link would be banished to the Lost Woods after promising Saria he'd see her again, and then would proceed to construct the Kokiri Sword and Shield out of wood in the forest. After that he'd confront Mido...and the contradictions with _Dark Mind_ and _Shadow Apocalypse_ would commence! The original ending was pretty well written, though, so it was worth mentioning.

I kind of picture Link as being a shy fellow in his youth, considering how he was bullied all the time by the other Kokiri. And just like how the player in Ocarina of Time is thrust into the game having to learn how to use the Kokiri Sword only moments before their first Deku Baba, Link too must quickly get his bearings on his own swordsmanship skills.

Hope you all liked my reference to the Noble Sword from Oracle of Seasons.

Thank you for reading, and please review! They keep me going!


End file.
